A SEED OF HISTORY

One brilliantly cold Alberta day
the teacher wrote on the blackboard
‘1928’ — for the first time. Everything was changing
so that the blue-and-pink map of Canada
still on the wall was a welcome
constant, in the excitement of this
January newness.

We wrote it on our papers
in round big shapes,
Jan., 1928.

The snow outside
glittered like mica-shavings
in the Alberta sunshine.